Falling Stars
by AllieCat324
Summary: Clary, the "fresh meat" to the famed Nephilim Camp, the place where the best of Shadowhunters are made, purposefully humiliates "The Best" Isabelle, Alec and Jace in a brutal Capture the Flag. However, as forsworn enemies, forced to work together, Jace realises that maybe he likes this feisty, untouchable redhead more than he should. Will he be able to convince her he's changed?
1. Golden Boy

**Author's Note: Hi, ok this is my first FanFiction so, ENJOY! But before you do I have one thing to say, why you started reading FanFiction's is your business, but I started because I wanted more of my favourite characters and to see what other people can come up with. As a new writer I'd really like it if you can give me feedback whether you just follow/favourite my story so I know it's okay, or you write me a message through PM, reviews, however, are the most helpful, critical or praising. Thanks. Xx**

She slipped through the trees, treading lightly on the soft light snow, until she reached the edge of the icy blue lake. She sat down carefully to put on and tie up her heavy skates, so as to not allow the blade to slice her pearly white skin and dust the snow with glistening red droplets of her blood. She stood up filled with the knowledge that in a few short seconds she would be gliding across that smooth ice, free, able to forget everything and everyone.

Yet she stopped nearly falling at the sound of laughter ringing out from across the other side. She looked up and halted, mesmerized. There. Gliding as gracefully as a swan across the ice was a golden boy with, from what she could see, a face like an angel with laughter that was musical and seemed to light up his entire face. He was standing in a patch of light and it was only when he turned around to speak to someone else that she noticed the two dark shadows on either side of him.

She squinted to try and get a better look at those shadows, unable to make out if they were children like the golden boy and her or adults. Hmmm, possibly bodyguards, she thought. Fortunately they stepped into the light and she got a proper look. They all looked to be roughly around the same age with the shadows turning out to be a boy and a girl both with midnight black hair and sharp faces. Probably siblings with their similar features, she thought again, immediately thinking of her own sibling.

The dark-haired boy held himself steadily as if he was wary of his surroundings; maybe, he was the eldest, which meant he had responsibilities, her brother always told her she would never understand what that felt like. Maybe her brother was right, maybe he wasn't.

She realised her mind had wandered and so turned back to them watching as the snow kept floating down, creating a lulling silence as it fell with white beauty against the siblings black hair making them seem even more dark and powerful. Yet against the golden boys hair it made him seem even lighter as if any minute he could sprout wings and fly off into the night. She wondered if they were like her "special" as her mum told her. She was so caught up in watching them and the snow and listening to their laughter and games that when she looked up at the sky and she realised it was almost daybreak. She'd missed her chance to skate but there were other times. She quickly untied her skates and began to run as she realised she couldn't be caught.

Her red hair gleamed against the white snow as she ran and like a flash she was gone. She was as beautiful and bright as the sun. The golden boy turned and watched as that fiery red hair weaved its way through the trees before it was gone. And all though it was gone he didn't forget, and neither did she.

She came back the next night and the next but she never saw them again. But she did find a ring, a thick ring with an M, or maybe a W in the middle, surrounded by falling stars with two engraved stars on either side. She kept it since then to remind her of that one night and what she saw.


	2. Nephilim Camp

**Author's Note: Hi, this is my first fanfiction and all reviews are welcome. Please tell me what you think. Thanks. Xx**

9 years later

"Muuummm, I can't find my weapon cleaning kit!" I yell, exasperatedly.

Jonathan, my painful brother, swaggers in saying sarcastically, "Oh, dear sister of mine, did you look under your bed?"

"Uh duh!" I reply lying through my teeth. Please, Please, Please don't look under my bed because I bet it'll be there. But of course he flips my covers up quickly and there sitting under the middle of my bed was my kit. But Jonathan being Jonathan also had to swoop down and pick it up and then wave it triumphantly before me.

"Of course you did." He says, smiling victoriously before I snatch it out of his hands, watching him walk out of my room humming, I Am A Champion.

"Asshole" I mutter.

"I heard that!" he shouts back. Why I can't have a normal brother who actually helps is beyond me. I throw in the kit before I check my list and suitcases one more time ensuring I have everything I need to survive 3 months at Nephilim Summer camp without contact with the outside world.

I glance at the mirror one last time checking I look acceptable in black jeans, with black ankle boots rather than my usual sneakers, a plain black top, with my favourite leather jacket, including fingerless gloves and a black belt which I can attach weapons to or conceal them within. I have a ring hanging on a chain from my neck, the one I found that night 13 years ago. I've forgone makeup as I look like a child trying to play as a grownup when I wear it but I have various weapons including Heosphoros in my belt and two seraph blades across my back with various knives, daggers and morning stars hidden under my clothes. My vibrant yet wavy red hair stands out against the black of my clothes and is messy as usual. I'm not bothered to tie it back so it's simply been flung over my shoulder and had my hands run through it a couple of hundred times to try and tame it. My freckles dusting my nose stand out annoyingly against my white skin and of course my breasts are their usual incredibly small size. Just as I'm trying to tame the butterflies flying around in my stomach, thoughts fly around in my head. Will they accept me? Am I good enough? Will I fit in? I'm no closer to answering these questions, at the moment, as pigs are as likely to fly.

Happy with how I look, I grab my large black bags, prepared to walk downstairs. I reach the door to my room and look back at it, taking it all in. The large glass windows that occupy most of my wall space with their old fashioned openings, the window alcove that has pillows and a blanket and is the perfect place to read, the pale blue-green duvet cover, the artworks I never got a chance to finish, the many-titled books lining the excessive bookshelves and occupying the desk and alcove, the little decorations, the antique jewellery box I inherited to the tinkling wind chime floating around and gracing my room with light faerie-like music. I look at my photos, both friends and family and think of the few I managed to pack, then my messy desk that is like an uncovered code which can't be read properly but can be summarised with a brief sweep and search when in a hurry. Finally, feeling sentimental, which I hate, I walk out into the hallway dragging my heavy bags with me.

Preparing to say goodbye to my beloved Chicago Institute, or as the mundanes know it the Fourth Presbyterian Church. A quaint, elegant Institute compared to others like the New York Institute, located on 126 E Chestnut St, Chicago, Illinois. Ingraining in my brain what it looks like with its large open rooms and expansive halls, delicate windows and one high winding staircase up to the spired tower. I want to envision it perfectly while I'm away; the climbing moss decorating the stone blocks out front and framing the recessed arch in the centre with the deciduous trees and the many layered flower gardens all with their different shades of green that make up the pretty vision of my home. I want to remember the walkways with arches along both sides and at the entrances. I want to remember the towering skyscrapers surrounding the Institute making it seem even smaller and more chic yet still with that graceful air that most institutes don't have.

I walk down the hallway which connects two buildings meaning on either side are floor-length arched windows. I cross through to next building where I begin the descent down the large staircase to the Great Hall, the entrance to the Chicago Institute.

Thump

Thump

Thump

Please don't have dented the stairs, mum will kill me. Literally. Oh wait, I'm leaving for 3 months, she can't get that mad.

Thump

Yeah I'll be fine, just fi—

"CLARY!" Mum screams.

Thump

"Sorry, mum"

Thump

Thump

Thump

"Clarissa Morgenstern, carry your suitcases. NOW!"

"Don't worry mum, I'm downstairs." I reply as I wheel my suitcases from the Great Hall into the kitchen. I'll bring them outside with me later. I walk back to the kitchen to make myself a late lunch. I think I'll have a salad and a sandwich. Yeah, that sounds good. I'm rummaging through the fridge when my entire family walks in. Luke – my mum's best friend who's the closest thing to a father we've ever had, Mum aka The Red Monster and Jonathan – my brother a pain or as adults see him a guy that means well, there's simply no one way for him and that's not meant as a compliment, but I love him, he's my brothwe. Oh no what've I done this time? Was my immediate thought because the last family meeting was because I'd gone swimming with a group of mundanes, after a party, at around two in the morning and had "accidentally" revealed that I was a Shadowhunter when I had to fight a pair of Shax demons. That resulted in a heap of messy Clave meetings to erase specific memories of the mundanes'. Two words. Not Fun.

"So are you ready to go?" says Luke.

"Um we don't have to leave until 2 it's only 1." What is going on? I'm so confused.

"About that," my brother starts, "I might've set … ummmm," he stops.

"What did you do?" I say surprisingly calmly when really I am very mad at him because if he says what I think he's going to say all hell is going to break loose.

"Ummm I might've," he starts again and then finishes really fast, "set your clock back so that you thought you had an hour when you really…ummm…didn't."

"You what!" I explode "I haven't eaten anything since 8."

"So, does sorry cut it?" I throw him a scathing look. At least I hope it was scathing, "Ok, ok," he adds hastily. "I'm sorry."

And he actually does look slightly repentant, before he turns his back to leave with Luke.

"You better be." I mutter to their retreating forms.

He turns around and raises his hands in surrender opening his eyes widely in total innocence before continuing out through the main hall and down the front steps of the institute. They're probably organising the portal but I can't believe he did that he knows I'm still nervous about going which brings back the big guns. Will I fit in? And am I a good enough Shadowhunter?

"Uhhhh mum I'm so hungry. I need to eat something but there's nothing I can just grab from the fridge."

"Clary I hope you know it was just your brother's way of saying goodbye." She says, just completely ignoring what I said.

"Yeah, I know, I know" I sigh exasperatedly.

"And you can eat when you get there. Now get on out there and get ready to take the portal so we're not any later."

I mumble my ascent and walk back through the kitchen and out to the front door where I look back one last time at the lavish hallway. Looking back to say goodbye to the thick rugs and heavy curtains and most of all the tapestries, which depict famous times in our Shadowhunter history, like the Angel Raziel rising from Lake Lyn.

I walk straight out to the portal, which is temporarily open to pass through the wards set around Nephilim Camp, my home for 3 months. I walk up to Jonathan ready to walk right past him when he grabs me pulling me in for a hug.

"Not thinking of leaving without seeing goodbye, are you little sis?" He says jokingly giving me a sincere smile and a quick kiss on the cheek all the while holding me tightly in his warm hug.

"Have fun. And torture your teachers." He whispers into my ear before pulling away quickly. I feel myself tearing up and he must have noticed too so he says one more thing "You'll be fine. If I got through it you'll knock 'em dead." I smile weakly at him taking in his clear green eyes, thick black hair and tanned skin one more time before moving onto Luke.

"Have fun sweetheart." He says hoarsely. I nod and give him a light kiss on the cheek before finally walking over to mum. Already the feeling of homesickness is setting in my stomach as I looked at the tears swimming in her eyes.

She grasps me by the shoulders and says, "Clary, honey, you'll be fine, get rid of that worry. But don't think that I'm letting you off the hook about bumping your suitcases all the way down the stairs just because you're going away for three months."

"Muum I didn–" She pulls me in for a quick hard hug and I savour the feeling, the warmth and the fact that I feel safe.

Jonathan interrupts saying, "Hurry up and end the crying fest you have to leave." It was only then I noticed the hot wet tears dripping onto my back off mum's face I reach up and wipe them away, gently pulling away at the same time.

I grab my bags again until I'm standing directly in front of the swirling blue portal, the ticket to my future. I'm standing there, frozen, not sure if I'm ready to take that leap without another five minutes to say goodbye. Unfortunately that decision was made for me. I'm shoved into my own subconscious, and not in a pleasant way. I grip my bags tighter and regain my balance, prepared to begin battle with my brain against my brain. My mind drifts focusing on my family briefly before moving onto the Golden Boy, causing me to wonder what would happen if I focused on him in a portal. Would I be transported to him or would I be lost in a never-ending battle of my brain against my brain much like how we fight a battle against demons. A battle that can never be won but must always be fought. Someone said that to me once but everything else of that memory, is a blur, as my mind moves on. As I straighten my clothes, from my very ungraceful entry into the portal, cough cough – courtesy of Jonathan – cough cough, my mind somehow straightens out as well from this simple action. Nephilim Camp.

And those two words cause the battle to be won, I fall watching and reliving as memories whistle past me. Jonathan, chasing me around the Institute and picking me up when I fell, Luke teaching me to ride a bike at the farm and reading me to sleep, Mum teaching me runes and painting next to me. Moving onto my deeper memories I relive training at the beach with Jonathan, learning to unconsciously keep my footing on the tough terrain, remembering the taste of the salt air and the curling waves singing their song to me, before reaching their crescendo and crashing onto the shore. Then I watch as more memories and thoughts and dreams flash past seeming to relive them for hours when it was probably only seconds. Like dreams they seem to go on for hours when most are no longer than seven seconds. Finally I reach the one memory, the one memory that I never realised but I always seem to float back to, the centre of my thoughts, as I can't seem to figure it out. Golden Boy.

**Author's Note: Please Review. If you do I'll give you a preview of the next chapter just remember to ask in the review, otherwise I'll forget. Thanks. Xx**


	3. Cabins?

**AN: Enjoy! And if you don't normally please read the end Author's Note, I need your help! Xx**

* * *

The light is all I see when I land, my eyelids move slowly as I work to send the images of what I'm seeing to my brain so it can comprehend it. I start with the basics: green grass, blue sky, a clearing, buildings, a small river and people. People, everywhere. Moving like they're dancing; swerving, leaping, falling. They're fighting. Training. My mouth curves up, I want to be there with them. The archers firing hitting the target or not, they continue, cocking the bow, pulling back and with a swish the arrow flies through the air. Again and again and again. Dancing across ladders swung between trees learning balance. Falling from ropes learning to overcome the fear associated with it yet as I turn my eyes fall on my favourite exercise a live game you wear your gear and you move out to the edge, alongside the cliff and you fight; if you fall you get back up. You fight until you can't continue or you're the last one standing. It's called MAN UP, unoriginal much, I've heard it all before but the name fit and so it stayed. Taking this in, all I can think is how this place can have such a bad reputation. All I want to do is pick up my weapons, put on my gear and jump right out there.

But I don't. Unfortunately. I see an old man walking towards me in a crisp suit with the aid of a walking stick. He stops just in front of me, studying me. Finally he says, "You look like your mother. Yet I can see your father in you too," My father? What does he know about him? And looking like my mother? I'm cute at best and I do not look like my mum at all, compared to her beauty and elegance I'm clumsy and childlike. Yet, he continues, "I'm Hodge, Hodge Starkweather, the head of camp and the head trainer, I'll get Isabelle Lightwood to show you around the camp and show you where you'll stay, that is, unless other campers invite you into their cabin. Just remember, all of the stories are true." And with that he leaves me standing there which I later find out is in true Hodge style. I wait, watching his retreating back. Will he come back? But the more he walks the more I realise that that was it. Well, it was definitely something, I become more and more intrigued as I watch the people continuing to train, noticing that there are very different and very noticeable levels. There are the people that have clearly only trained at home with siblings and sometimes their parents, then there are the people from Institutes with professional trainers, like me, and finally there are people that have trained here for years. Age doesn't matter here not like in the rest of the Shadowhunter world people are as young as 7 and as old as 21 are here from what I can see, but those are guesses. Though the 21 year olds probably aren't full time or even casual campers, I guess they're just stopping by and have taken the time to hone in on their skills.

As I watch a girl separates herself from MAN UP, everyone seems to move out of her way, clearly she's respected. I assess her. She's tall with long ink-black hair wisping around her face, with pale skin that oddly suits her, her eyes are dark ink-black. Runes are scattered across her skin, from what's visible, which is a lot given her stretchy, tight black dress, made of the same material as normal gear, weapons are also made to fit, unnoticeable, unless you know where to look. She's gorgeous and everything I'm not. She saunters up to me and when she's standing directly in front of me, looking down at me, I realise exactly how short I am. I give her time to assess me as I did her watching as her eyes dart over my now plain clothes and rumpled hair. As her eyes reach mine again, I see that they aren't a dark ink-black but rather a dark-brown with gold flecks sparkling from within them. She holds out a hand, "I'm Isabelle, and you must be the fresh meat I've been hearing about for days."

"Uhh umm" I stutter out. She laughs, throwing her head back and causing just about every guy and many girls to look over at her.

"Don't worry; I don't bite, unless of course you mess with me. Anyway I'm going to show you around camp, and then show you to your cabin to dump your bags. Then we have Capture the Flag, afterwards the team who wins gets glory and praise until the next week, when we play again. If you lose, you slum it with the rest of them, doing the clean-up and many of the other odd jobs around camp. Got it? Let's go!" I nod, yet she's already turned around causing me to follow her as once again the crowd parts as she walks by, every head swivels to watch her. Yet once she's left they begin to close in again causing me to hurry as she leaves. Someone bumps into me jostling me and my bags as they hurry to continue their game.

I'm stuck, ducking and weaving, resorting to shoving to move them out of the way, just because I'm 5 foot nothing, and then her voice rings out again, "Hey, losers. MOVE! Don't you have any respect; we've got fresh meat coming through." Though her words are harsh they're delivered with a smile and I get the feeling that at least for now she's looking out for me. The people move grumbling yet laughing as clearly she's not being mean, it's just her nature. She takes me around showing me the cabins, with their habitants. They're set out according to families, yet you don't have to live in your families, "That's the Blackthorn's where at the present Helen, Mark, Jules, Tiberius aka Ty, Livvy; his twin and Emma Carstairs, Jules and her have been practically attached at the hip since birth, are living. Then there's the Penhallow's but Aline their only child moved in with the Blackthorn's, something about being lonely, I dunno it's not my business. So the Blackthorn's is real busy but they can accommodate many more like a mini house/ Institute. Then there's Sebastian Verlac, in the Verlac's; duh, Jace hates him –"

"Jace…?"

"Oh right, Jace one of my brothers. But we're not related, he's the last living Herondale, and my brothers are Max and Alec Lightwood…" My eyes drift watching the fighting as she continues her rapid-fire speech, not that it's not important, I've just tuned out. I nod at important sections, watching as she points out important buildings such as the mess hall, the centre building – where the library, Hodge's office and other important places are housed. Then she shows me the public toilets and showers where most people go after training to have a shower rather than walk back to their cabin. Finally she points out the centre of camp a fire surrounded by benches with the benches and placed at the edge of the woods. And we continue walking moving back to the cabins, to collect the bags I dropped in the centre of the main clearing and I'm guessing she'll show me my cabin, as she forgot to mention it earlier. "So then we have Capture the Flag every Friday night and for the rest of the week you'll get a schedule for training, if you show, if you don't it's your choice." I nod as my brain processes the information but then it zooms in on three words, 'Capture the Flag'.

"Hang on, hang on, wait," I interrupt. She looks at me irritably, waiting for me to continue.

I open my mouth but she speaks before me, "Capture the Flag. I know what your question is. Is it compulsory? Do you get to pick your team? Can you change teams? What are the rules? What weapons you can use? And mostly how does it work? Well, alright I guess I have to since I'm your guide. Yes it's compulsory, but you'll enjoy it, one team will volunteer to take you and if you are good and the other team wants you they can request your cabin, which would be specifically you for next week, you can also decline. The rules are to be the first team to capture the other team's flag and bring it back across the creek to your team's territory, no runes that will interfere with the other person or the rune on your weapons, which I'm getting to. No tricks or pranks and I think that's it, just play and you'll learn all the ones I've forgotten to mention. You wear Shadowhunter gear and you can use any and all weapon, just have them checked Hodge or the other trainers where they'll place a rune so that when you go for the kill, the blade it will slide right through, but it won't affect your strike or stance, and the one's you throw will bounce off and you can collect them after weapon collecting, which again the losing team will perform. The person that you just 'killed' will then get a red fabric or stain over their heart showing they've been 'killed', if they continue to play they're placed on kitchen duty, weapon cleaning or weapon collecting for the rest of the week. There's also a captain of your team who will allocate where you will fight, whether you're in offensive or defensive. Oh and don't move from where you're placed because –"

"There'll be punishments."

"Exactly" She smiled, then as if I was a little girl, needing praise.

"Who are the captains?"

"Well one team is a joint captainship between Jace and Alec, they're parabatai, but I have as much input as them, and then Sebastian Verlac's captain of the other. Then all the other campers from different Institutes are split each week, alliances are formed between cabins and cabins are split as members break it off for a different team." I open my mouth ready to speak again but she cuts me off again just as I'm about to speak, saying, "I know you're wondering how many people are at camp, for this week, only the ones that play Capture the Flag, there's roughly, I'd guess, 45 give or take 10." She stops, suddenly causing me to stub my toe painfully, I feel it throbbing.

Before, I look around when she says, "That's your cabin."

"Cabin? It's more like a mansion," And it is with large windows at the front and a big double door, no wonder Aline felt lonely if hers is anything like mine. She walks up to my house and opens the door and I watch as we walk through the elaborate hallway and through multiple rooms but their all just a blur of rich, soft carpets, or stunning hard wood floors and big furniture on and on. I'll look later. She walks to a staircase and up we walk or more like a graceful glide in Isabelle's case and then me clunking up the stairs clumsily. We continue through another hallway until we seem to reach a bedroom. It's huge. There are four beds, two on the ground and then another two above them yet they all clearly roll back into the wall to open the room up completely and it's as if they're floating. Then there are the large windows and desks, the maps, the globes, the books and the weapons. I'm in awe. I'm in heaven.

"Okay, so this is the basic cabin room. You can have a more detailed one but for the moment we're just going to drop your bags and you're going to completely gear up, everything you would wear to a demon hunt. Got it?"

"Basic?" I repeat still hung up on this room.

"Yes basic." And all though her voice is calm her face says differently. Abruptly, she grabs my bags and drops them to the floor in front of her, hastily unzipping them before my clothes and objects go flying as she rummages through them.

Suddenly, she pulls out all my weapons and again repeats. "Gear up. NOW!" Before floating down onto a bed where she perches, checking her nails. So I do. Checking the strapping on my seraph blades, before clipping Morning Stars into my hair, ensuring it's out of my face, for now. I add daggers and knives to my thighs, calves, forearms and upper arms. Clipping some into my boots and in my belt and when I'm sure that I'm entirely loaded with weapons, I check Heosphoros.

"Isabelle, I'm ready."

"Finally." she grumbles and proceeds to march out much like before, through the twisted hallways down the stairs and out the front hall, we continue through camp until we reach the centre of camp and there's everyone from camp, with each of them wearing one of two colours wrapped around their forearms, either red or blue, which is ironic giving the red fabric which will supposedly mark if you are 'killed' but I guess there's some trick.

And just like that Isabelle whispers as we near the edge, "Oops, I forgot to tell you, the fabric over your heart will also cause the rune to seize to work and your weapons to become astonishingly heavy until the end of the game is called."

I nod and suddenly she grabs me roughly pulling me through the crowd nodding and murmuring to certain people until we reach the front, when she raises my hand and says, "Ok, who'll take our 'fresh meat' for their team, for the people that can't see she's short, 5 foot 'nothing', and delicate and without muscles, she's without opinion and that fiery red hair, definitely does not represent her personality." A couple of chuckles are greeted from this and my cheeks flame as I realise that I was just another responsibility to her, which she was taking care of. Also, I'm allowed to call myself 5 foot 'nothing' but not that perfect girl, who's never had to work a day in her life, not that I really have, but that's beside the point.

"Excuse me, those things may or may not be true but at least I'm not afraid to be who I am, I don't have to embarrass other people to make sure that I stay 'popular' and the guys notice me because heavens forbid that you might actually have a relationship based on anything other than looks." With that finished and many hidden smiles from most people, she looks furious, turning to talk to other people.

"Jace, Alec, are we taking shortie?" She asks turning to a blonde-haired boy and a black-haired who I realise must be her brother's, but I don't get a proper look at either of their faces as they turn yelling to their team, the reds.

"If you're asking if we're taking her, by choice, Isabelle. That would be a no, I'm sure we could find someone a lot better looking for us to take, someone like me." Jace says all this with a smile, earning more chuckles, but no longer at Isabelle's expense. Arrogant asses all of them, I'm sick of them.

"Hey blondie, what makes you think I would ever want your ugly face taking me anywhere, the only place you'll be taking me is somewhere, where I can hand you your ass and show you how Shadowhunters fight, not whatever pathetic dance you were taught at home." I say, all the while holding an innocent smile on my face, no matter how much it hurts. The look on people's faces shows me that maybe I went a bit too far, oh well, there's no going back now.

"I'd like to see you try." He replies instantly.

Another boy steps forward from the blue's saying, "You never could take people who had the guts to stand up to the almighty, Jace Herondale, could you?" Another boy says sarcastically, "Come on, join our team, for now, and we'll hand them their asses, as you so charmingly put."

He hands me a blue armband which I tie on quickly, and suddenly out of nowhere Hodge comes up to me and says, "Nicely done, mutual enemies on your first day, your brother would be proud." He nods before drawing a different rune on me, one I've never seen before, it's got curves and loops and yet it still has straight lines, a real rune not specifically in the grey book but a rune all the same.

As he does this I hear Jace say to Sebastian, "Always trying to get into a girl's pants aren't you, Sebastian, you just couldn't help yourself, could you?"

Sebastian replies, quickly, "Just because your brain is wired to think like that Jace doesn't mean mine is," Sebastian says, shooting me a creepy smile, but I'm not so sure that there's a whole lot of truth behind what he's saying, "Some people are just genuinely nice to people." He finishes.

"And those 'some people' don't include you." Jace mutters as he walks away. Well, that was interesting, I don't particularly like Sebastian and I hate Jace with a passion at the moment. But that was not what I expected. And with that I jump back to where I am when Hodge starts speaking again.

"Test the rune; throw a morning star at someone." So I pull one from my hair and I can't help myself, yes, I know I was being immature but even so it gave me a thrill. And I throw it accurately at Jace's back, where it flies straight and true, meaning it should kill him. I hope this rune does actually work, because otherwise I think Jace might be a bit dead.

Yet at the last minute it bounces off, causing him to turn around shocked as red fabric appears over his heart, "What? How am I already dead?" he asks. I smirk as his eyes land on me and I see Hodge give a small smile. Hodge walks over, though, and performs a quick rune on Jace, causing the red fabric to disappear again; he also picks up my morning star throwing it back deftly, as I catch it; swiftly bringing it back into my hair. Thinking gleefully of Jace's smirk being wiped off his, face, well it was worth it, even if I have no evil brother to share my glee with.

Hodge then walks back into the centre of the clearing and shouts, "Alright teams move out, captains explain your strategies. But I think this games going to be different," he says with a slight smile as he looks in my direction. And as I watch Sebastian walks up to me with the rest of his team at his back, there are quite a lot of us; from 20-25 I'd guess. The red team takes off into the woods with Jace's golden hair leading the way with Alec and Isabelle's dark head's on either side of his. Funny, that triangle looks awfully like Golden Boy and his friends. I dismiss that from my mind. And just as I do a loud horn blows across the entire camp. And Capture the Flag, has begun.

* * *

**AN: Sorry! I was going to include Capture the Flag but it was too long, also I'm going on camp this week, so this is so I can hopefully update on time. At the moment my schedule's once a week but I might change it to twice, it depends on how busy school gets. Also do you want Simon? If so do you want Simon and Isabelle? Or when I bring Jonathan back, should there be Jonathan and Isabelle? Tell me what you think. Have a good week!**

**Until next time, chickies,**

**Xoxo**

**AllieCat324**


	4. Cans and Cant's

**AN: Hey I hope you've liked my story so far. I'm really sorry it's late and I hope the added length makes up for it. I just wanted to say due to some reviews, I in no way mean to copy Percy Jackson or write a Percy Jackson fanfic, I can see how the ideas are similar, however, if you can stick with me, you'll notice quite how different my plot will be as this is based on a real experience of playing outdoor laser skirmish with some of my friends.**

**Finally, I just want to give a shout out to Speshbubbles, who gave me an awesome review and PM, Herondale-all-the-way, who made me laugh really hard in a particularly boring lesson, although I did get some strange looks because of it and lastly HarleM16XxO, who gave me some great advice and a super amazing PM. Tell me what you think i.e. review, PM, favourite or follow. By the way, yes, I do have a beta. She's the BEST. Edits like a pro. I would highly recommend her. (P.s. that was written by my beta, just in case some of you are giving me weird looks.)**

**Thanks again, chickies. Xx**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments or the characters, unfortunately, but I do get to put them in awkward situations.**

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As we move out Sebastian nods, to someone possibly for affirmation, and then he begins to speak. "Alright, we've changed our plan, we saw you throw your morning star with no warning and if you can challenge Jace even though you're the 'fresh meat', we're going to take a chance on you. Everyone else," he says looking at the rest of the blue team, "you all know where you're fighting. Newbie here's going to come with me, rather than have some off to the side position and we're going to hope she can fight as well as she talks, okay? Okay. Move out." As I look I realise that we are now deep in the woods and I can hear the creek off to the side, so obviously they're on the other side, in their territory. I see the offensive move off to near the group, to possibly split up later. I watch the defensive head off with our royal blue flag and we're left, just the two of us. A high-pitched whistle blows and from the anguished war cries that reverberate around, I would guess, that the fighting has begun. As we walk I think about what's happened. I made my first enemies, Isabelle at least seemed nice, but I guess it was just an image, I suppose it wouldn't be hard for someone like that; she could have so many faces. Alec didn't really talk, but if he's anything like his siblings, I'm not going to like him much, but maybe he's different as he has to put up with those two. Jace though, he's a different story, he was such an egotistical, cliché, male, guy. And I haven't even seen him properly yet, nor have I seen Alec. I hope they're really ugly, but with Isabelle's looks, I doubt it. I sigh, loudly, causing Sebastian to look at me huffing at me to be quiet. Oh be quiet, you're becoming quite annoying I silently curse him and he's not attractive, as if he was put together slightly wrong. His nose is crooked, his smile's not genuine, but creepy and what Jace said earlier seems to be becoming more and more right, not saying that what Sebastian accused him of isn't true too. Oh well, I can dwell on this later, right now I'm going to go wipe that confident smirk off Jace's face that I bet he's wearing.

Sebastian takes off, running, and I put all my senses on high alert, pulling out Heosphoros as well. He whispers, breathlessly while we stop behind trees, for a minute, as we hear people from the red team charge after our team mates who are yelling taunts over their shoulders, "I know where their flag is, that's what we're going after, everyone else is pretty much a big distraction. I'll protect you until we get there so all you have to do is get there and fight; kick their asses and then grab the flag, run back to our side and we're all set. Piece of cake, right?"

"That's **all** I have to do?" I pant out.

He doesn't get a chance to answer because at that exact moment he seems to hear a signal or something and we're running again. It's not difficult, the terrain is just different, with the tall trees and damp, spongy ground which crackles and squelches if you don't tread lightly. We run, our chests rising up and down sharply, but little sound is made, and just as we reach the crest of the hill, there's a glint. I stop. Thrusting Heosphoros straight to the hilt of the sword, waiting so invitingly for me to spear myself on, performing a quick twist, thus, causing the sword to fly in a neat arc into my, waiting, left arm. I move quickly, keeping an eye on Sebastian as he, searches the area for more, yet seeming to miss certain areas that I would automatically check. I take a step forward, triggering an instant reaction, and like a slinky, four people from the red team leap out, and I go into battle mode. All of my emotions are compressed into a tight box, meaning my skill reigns free to get the joy of being immersed in something I can do.

The first person charges forward, with two swinging seraph blades, prepared to slice through my neck; I duck and turn to face him causing him to halt, and turn, giving me an option to slip Heosphoros under one blade flinging that forward before using the other blade, I acquired before to slip under his guard, I deliver the killing blow. Yet in the high of the battle, I had let my emotions out. A fatal mistake. Red Thug Number two had advanced and swung causing a blade to be millimetres from my head. I move with lightning speed, even I didn't know I possessed, causing my blade to lock with his, as he pushes down on me I worked to hold my stance and move my other hand without him noticing. Inching it up and up, as slowly as I can bear. Taking off some of my hair in the process, I snatch a morning star and throw. Hard. It nicks his cheek and he laughs, sneering at me, as the blood drips down his face yet still managing to say, "Is that the best you've got?" He continues to bear down on me as I watch my star fling over and over itself, around and around until it turns the crucial corner and it flies swiftly and straight.

"Not even close." And it reaches Thug 2, passing straight through his back where it would've embedded. I catch it, thrown off balance and nearly falling backwards from the immense force it still carries. And then he falls, dragged down, I assume by the heavy weight of his weapons. I look around and I see Sebastian locked in heavy battle with the other two thugs. I know I shouldn't call them that, but it's irresistible, that's just what they look like, while Sebastian's team had the more agile people, apart from Jace, Alec and Isabelle most of their people seemed to be of the bulkier type.

I move to help him, but he waves me away, shouting across to me, "No time, there'll be more coming, I'll try to hold them off. Go. Go." I keep going, moving the morning star back into place and dropping the sword I picked up as I run. I move towards the creek, as that's my best guess to where the red team's flag will be, as Sebastian forgot to tell me where they've placed it. As I reach the creek I'm forced to slow down, to give myself time to catch my breath and again adjust to the different terrain, I quickly move to the creek where my trail will be masked by the smooth stones, I reach down for a drink when I hear a horn blow and I'm off again. I run through to their territory, wondering how long we've been playing. Suddenly, there's crashing around me, not knowing how many people are there and from which team I run and jump scaling up the tree, until I'm sitting in the whispering branches, thank god I did because although, whoever that was didn't pass through my clearing, as I looked out across this beautiful place that is now my home, as I survey the landscape there jutting out against the sky is a great pile of rocks, which I later learned are nicknamed Hell's Fallen after the angels that fell to hell. I don't know why it's not 'Heaven's Fallen' then but it's not, and sticking out of Hell's Fallen is the red flag, bright against the fading sky. I climb down halfway and then jump, rolling when I hit the ground before running at full pelt.

When I near it, I climb a tree again and begin to swing from branch to branch, until I reach the tree line. It's there that I meet my first problem. As I circle the cliffs moving up and down, searching all the faces. There are no crevices to place your hands and feet to climb, making it virtually impossible to reach the top, if you start at the bottom. It's just not possible I think over and over again, but I can't let smartass Jace win. Wait, wait, Clary backtrack, it's virtually impossible to reach the top, **if** you start at the bottom, so Clary, honestly, you're going to have to start at the top, I chastise myself. I continue to climb, carefully, as I've reached the more delicate branches. I've revised my former statement, I love being small. Fortunately the rustling of the dark oak's leaves conceal the frequent, much to my annoyance, cracking of the branches and the heavy foliage as far as I can tell, conceals me. I keep climbing until I am slightly higher than the rocky ledge and on the sturdiest branch I can find. I prepare to leap off the branch onto the rocky outcrop. I'm waiting there before I realise if I don't bite the bullet, I'll be here all day. So I rear back and I leap. And I fall.

Fast. And as I watch the hard surface of the rock rushes towards me. And yet in the face of this terrible prospect all I can think is dammit, that arrogant Jace-kid beat me, though I guess he's not really a kid. And yet as I fall, I reach, stretching up, and just as my face rushes past it, I manage to hook my fingertips into the annoyingly smooth rock surface at the very edge of Hell's Fallen. And my muscles start to scream and burn, no matter the training I've had, my nails crack as I work to hang there and adjust to the pain. Five seconds, Clary, and then you'll pull yourself up. I know I won't be able to do it otherwise and so I work at it. One muscle at a time, I engage them. Gradually, digging my shredded fingertips in. This rock better have a mark after this. Why the hell is it so smooth? Come on stupid rock, work with me here. Just magically make an indent where my legs are. Please… Oh stuff it I'll just have to do it myself and so I wriggle my legs, working to create the momentum I need to lift myself up, slowly, oh so slowly, applying enough pressure to rise up above the edge. My forearms slowly move, continuing my gradual ascent. When my waist is finally above, I collapse, beyond caring that I practically just slammed my face into the rock. Five seconds, body, my brain says, and then I'll force you to get up. Then, there was a thud.

And I'm up. I don't know how but I'm up. And there, directly in front of me, okay, quite a bit above me, is Jace. At least I think it's him, and wow he's beautiful. Your first proper look and that's all you can think of Clary. Original, real original. Jonathan would be laughing his butt off at you. But he is, beautiful, I mean. With his golden-wavy-blonde hair glinting in the warm sunlight as it moves in the wind, falling slightly over his eyes. His stunning golden eyes no matter how menacingly they're looking down on me. Then his toned honey-coloured skin and his … muscles. WOW! Just wow. I knew he was fit, when I first saw him, but no this is a whole new level. He's lean, yes, but those muscles are still ever so obvious. Just looking at him my knees begin to buckle, but maybe that's just because I pulled myself up a cliff. Oh well, either way. And honestly I'm seriously appreciating him. That is, until his mouth opens.

"Honestly, I didn't think you had that in you, I saw you fall and I thought yep she's all talk, and yeah I can admit it I was a bit disappointed, I did want someone to fight with. But then I watched, in astonishment, I might add as you pulled yourself up. Honestly, I didn't even notice you catch yourself on the rock. Just accept it you can't win and I can beat you, all too easily." he says this all the while standing as if he's leaning against a wall of rock rather than thin air, picking at flecks of dirt on his blade. And then he lunges, bringing his blade around in two crescent arcs, and he's fast, meaning you'll have to be faster Clary. I move, my muscles still straining, I hope they can manage to adjust soon as I have a feeling this fight isn't going to be easy, I duck, low, swinging my blade, in a complicated swerve to swing past his blade, causing me to roll past. If you're thinking of trying rolling on a fifty feet high platform of rock, anytime soon, I would advise against it, but it's your choice.

I roll to my feet again and yet he's already turned around, and his blade is swinging in a blur. I jump at the last second flipping my foot into his chest, pushing him back as I also somersault over him, swinging Heosphoros back out in front of me. And yet as I land, his blades are there swinging before me causing me to work hard to avoid them. And yet as the fight continues filled with footsteps and panting, I see a rope swinging down towards me, along with Jace's blade swinging dangerously close to my head, so much for wiping his arrogant smirk off his face. And I jump, yes I know not very smart, but it was the best I had. And so I leapt onto the rope and I swung with it, backwards, "Come back and fight me or do you want the entire camp do know that the fresh meat that talks big is actually a sissy." Jace yells at my retreating form, as I somehow managed to land on a tree branch. From Jace's voice I can already tell he's thinking can, can, can and I'm thinking can't, can't, can't. And then I notice a guy on the tree branch a guy with glasses on who's kind of cute, not that I get a proper look, but he's obviously the one who rigged the rope.

"Come on, you're the only hope for the blue team." And so with a push from him I'm swinging with my head swirling and he's managed to pull the rope tauter and so I'm higher up. Then I let go swinging into another flip, while performing my own crescent arcs with Heosphoros and a seraph blade that I grabbed, naming it Raphael. As I land in front of Jace, the surprise on his face is priceless. Downright you keep thinking that chant, can't, can't, can't while I'm screaming can, can, can. Serves him right.

"I'm" I swing at his blade, ferociously, putting my entire 5"nothing' behind it, "No" I move, still in the lock with his blade, as fast as I can swinging the Seraph blade up and under, to remove myself from the body-lock and then dropping it the ground to the side of his head, "Sissy!" I finish, moving Heosphoros in a butterfly crescent so named for the shape that is formed if you move it fast enough, and his blade flies into the air and yet he's rolled out from under me, and yes I'm not proud of this, right towards his sword which he picks up effortlessly. It's now that I realise, Jace is good, incredibly so, but not unbeatable, just find his weaknesses.

"Rookie mistake." He taunts me, "My nine year-old brother doesn't do that." It really is a pity he's so good looking but has such a mouth on him. And I've been distracted, again.

"Huh…?"

"Distracted by my manly awesomeness?"

"Perhaps, but you still haven't beat me, have you?" Crap, did I really just say perhaps? And we're back to me thinking can't, can't, can't and him shouting in his head, can, can, can.

"So you were distracted by my holy grail of bodies."

"Shut up and fight me already."

"I thought that was what we were doing, I guess not. I mean I was fighting but if you weren't you must have been dancing."

And then battle mode overtakes me again, and as I hold him off me, yes hold him off my glorious body. Yeah just kidding. I grab my stele while Jonathan's voice rings in my head repeating, 'you'll never win with defence' yeah, yeah Jonathan I'm working on it. And so I draw. A different rune, so as our blades continue their dance, my stele dances over my skin creating something new. A thick black rune with an eye of sorts and a curling cross running through and below it. Fearless. One word. And when it's stopped burning. I've changed. The fear's gone.

And so I slash, leap, dive and vault. I roll, slide, bend and lunge. I fight as if my life depends on it, which it does, socially, that is. And gradually the fight begins to take its toll on Jace he doesn't have the power of the fearless rune running through him. We've both got blood trickling down our bodies, dust and tears on our clothes from both of our multiple rolls. I realise now that the rune prevents serious harm but cuts and slices, so long as they aren't fatal will protect you, thanks for telling me that Isabelle. It takes that brief second though for Jace to lean forward and give me a nice jab along my ribcage, oh by the angel, that hurts and suddenly I'm on the defensive again as he advances with fast swinging slices that shimmer silver in the air. And, while I'm admiring his technique, I miss the complicated and technical pass he's started and suddenly my blade's the one flying and with a good kick from him so am I. Fuuuu–dge can't, can't, can't. Well I'll definitely get a nice bruise from that tomorrow and now Jace is going to give me another, great just great. I watch through slitted eyes as he slowly advances towards me swinging his blade on the tip of his finger with infuriating ease.

"Oh, look at you Short you've seemed to have shrunk." Ignore him, ignore him don't let him taunt you, oh look abs, whoa! I only got a peek as he stretched his arm over his head causing his shirt to ride up delightfully. I stare at him for a moment and he stares at me. It's as if time's stopped. But really it's so not fair why does he get glorious, permanent, honey-coloured abs he looks so delicious, like honey, I bet he could probably eat heaps of sugar too and not gain an ounce while it would go right to my arse. Clary snap out of it and go for it yells my logical brain to my daydream brain. Huh? Go for what.

But I'm already moving swinging around on my pound-gaining arse easily thanks to the smooth rock surface, boy am I glad this rock is smooth. Now rock if you can just let this work somehow I promise I'll never insult you again. I'll never curse you for being too smooth, I'll never call you stupid and ask for you to stop being extraordinarily smooth.

And this time the rock seems to listen to my prayers and I slide effortlessly along the rock, thank the angel, until this time I manage to slip through his leg and 'accidentally' hit his reflex point on his ankles and knees which incidentally causes his legs to buckle.

"Look who's shrunk now." Yeah I know pathetic, but hey I had short notice and it was the best I could think of.

And suddenly I'm screaming in my mind can, can, can and as he falls I watch as can't, can't, can't swims around his head rather than mine.

By the time we're both back on our feet we both have weapons and are back to circling each other, trading off passes. Getting both of us spotted with each other's and our own blood. Then, just like that, my chance appears. I have less than a second and he'll have covered himself up. I drop Heosphoros, fast, and swing out two Seraph blades swinging them in chopping motions which if he wasn't defending would cleave him in two and then when he flung one out of the way I reach up letting a morning star fly loose from my hair, he turns at lightning speed to swing it away at the same time saying, "You'll have to do better than that." But by the time he's turning around I'm flying straight on top of him, knocking him over, while we're in the air I perform a quick twist with my other blade to disarm him and then we're down, or at least he is with me on top of him. Straddling him and yes, it was awkward. So, yes, I'm not ashamed of it, and yes I admit it was stupid but I did it.

"Hey, Short, I know I have a great body and that I'm undeniable attractive but you didn't have to attack me. I mean, don't you think knocking me over is a bit far?"

"Shut up, Tall, becau–"

"Hang on did you just give me a nickname based on my manly height, Short?"

"Hang on," I repeat, sarcastically, "did you just call me a nickname based on my delicate and ladylike height, Tall?"

He grins, "I think that you like me, I mean most girls can't help themselves but I was really enjoying this mutual enemy thing we had going."

And yet as I watch he's inching his hand ever so slowly towards a blade. Oh Tall, did you really just think I'd fall for a trick that easy. I swoop nicking the blade right out of its sheathe before he can even see it.

"You know just for a moment then, I think you were thinking can, can, can but you see self-confidence really isn't attractive in a man like you."

"What about a rematch?"

"I think we'll have plenty of time for one of those next week, thank you very much."

He sighs and looks away.

So I lean even closer to him keeping my blade kissing his neck, until my breath also tickles his throat, causing his hairs to stand up. He looks at me then with those beautiful golden eyes, even if they do have a wall erected at the very front of them, right before me. And I whisper, barely moving my lips, one word.

"Can."

Because I can and just like that I let my blade slip, and there appearing over his heart is that little red fabric and as I watch, his face twists in anguish, "Watch it meat, you don't want people to think you live up to your hair, do you?"

"Oh, but I do." I reply grinning helplessly. And now I notice the birds twirling above me, the refreshing breeze curling around my hairs, the flowers empowering scent and the sweet taste of victory on my tongue. Uh I can't believe I just thought that I must be turning soft. Then, I turn, shoving him in the shoulders as I get off him and practically float over to the red flag. I grab it with both hands prepared for the victory of holding it above my head and so I reach to pull it hard out of the singular crack in the rock. And….

It's stuck.

No matter how much I pull and shove I won't budge. Bloody rock. No, no I'm sorry, you are a really beautiful piece of rock.

"Need a little help Short?"

"Shut up, Tall."

"No, no I'm serious; I mean with that short figure you can't have much strength."

"Tall, I'm warning you."

"Or what, Short?! I'm already dead figuratively speaking." I glare at him. "Ok, ok, I take it back; I wouldn't want you to see you get even madder, Short."

I turn away from him and quickly unhook a dagger and throw it down across the base of the wooden pole where it slices the wood cleanly and now the flag comes out, the minute I pull. So I grab the flag and I raise it above my head. I lean down, hearing the creaking of my bones and groaning of my muscles but I pick the dagger up and deftly pick out that little piece of wood, from the crevice, before sliding the dagger back in place. Then I collect the rest of my weapons that I've dropped.

And before I begin the treacherous run back to our side of the creek, I turn and meet his eyes one last time, taking him in, watching as he coolly assesses me, a picture of ease, leaning on his side. Then I leave, walking to the side of the cliff, preparing to slide down it. I jump and virtually fall off the side of the cliff. When I reach the ground, a little out of breath, I look up to catch him watching me, steadily. Little did I know that two seconds ago he'd hauled himself up and sprinted to the edge, prepared to jump off after me to save me from the bloody death I could've suffered. But I just keep running with the air rushing past me, flinging my hair back and once again I disappear through the trees in a burst of red.

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**AN: Tell me what you think. Is the guy in the tree Simon? And to make up for a loss of Shadowhunter children do you want me to bring in some TID characters?**

**Till, next week, chickies.**

**Xoxo AllieCat324**


	5. Day Two of Hell

**AN: Sorry…. ? I had assignments and school got busy, all of that crap. So I'm Sooo SORRY!Ok so this chapter has a lot of talking. I warn you!**

**Until the end, chickies,**

**Xoxo AllieCat324**

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By the time I made it back to our side with the flag and was swept up in a crowd of cheering campers, and then trudged all the way back to camp. I was exhausted. And that was putting it lightly. However, the night's not close to finishing, we have dinner and celebrations, and given it's roughly 7 o'clock now, Capture the Flag took 2 hours, I won't be getting to bed until 10-11ish. Great, just great. I'm going to get a drink, and again I notice the fact that even after winning I'm still ducking and weaving through the crowd of celebrating campers. Just because I'm short…

"Hey"

"Huh?"

"Oh, sorry." Then tree guy materialises right before me, well not like magically, just because he moved into my point of vision.

"Hey?"

"Right, I'm Simon, and you–"

"You're the 'fresh meat' everyone's been hearing about for days on end." I finish, sarcasm, oozing from my voice.

He blushes, "Uh, no, I was just going to say and you are? But I'm sorry about that crap you've probably been receiving from everyone." Now I'm the one blushing, real attractive. Brilliant, now I look like a tomato as well as having carrot hair and I acted like a jerk.

"No, I'm sorry, I guess the day's just wearing on me and I know that's a terrible excuse but if you can believe me I am sorry, truly. And call me Clary."

"Ok Clary, but I you don't mind me asking, Clary …. Who?"

"No it's fine, I'm Clarissa Morgenstern, you might've heard of my brother, Jonathan." And the bomb had dropped. Everyone was whispering.

"Wait… Morgenstern?"

"Did she really just say Morgenstern?

"No, she couldn't be."

Yet I could trust Simon who turned to me promptly and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Clary." I smiled about to shake it when Jace walked up, with a stony expression on his face. Really, doesn't he see that trying to play angry bad boy is not going to get me to notice him.

"Clarissa, we need to talk." He says shoving Simon and his hand out of the way. Yeah, don't piss off my friend's ratboy, and so I reach around him and then step to the side, shaking Simon's hand.

"Yeah it's nice to meet you too. So, thanks for the rope out there it really helped. And do you want to train with me tomorrow?" I address all of this to Simon, figuring my best course of action is just to ignore Jace.

"Oh hell no." Jace interjects. Before grabbing my arm and dragging me away. Well before we get serious, I must say feeling Jace's calloused hand, from years of wielding weapons, clasping mine is really enjoyable. "You're a Morgenstern?" He finished with a pain filled voice.

"Yeah. Not like it's any of your business." I say, defensively. Who does he think he is? We're not in a jungle or mundane school where people are the kings. Angels, he needs to get that in his head.

"Great, just great, Jonathan's going to kill me. And ratboy, really?" He mumbles to himself.

"Wait Jonathan as in my brother? And yes, ratboy, I had short notice to insult you."

"Yeah," he says distractedly. "Um, your brother and I go way back, since when he first came here, like parabatai kind of close." He keeps searching the crowd as if my brother's going to appear, but he's not afraid, I don't think it's just as if he feels or looks like he's betrayed someone and needs to fix it.

And then my phone rings.

"Hello?"

"Clary?"

"Oh, hey Jonathan." And with that name Jace perks up, yet he seems to be frozen, maybe he's listening, as Jonathan continues to speak.

"So, did you win Capture the Flag?"

"Yeah, yeah I won."

"Well, I told Jace to recruit you. So I bet he was happy to have one other person to kick arse on his team. But anyway how are you getting along?"

"Um, actually Jonathan, Jace didn't recruit me. If I recall, correctly, when the option arose, he said, 'If you're asking if we're taking her, by choice, Isabelle. That would be a no, I'm sure we could find someone a lot better looking for us to take, someone like me.' But Jonathan," I say quickly before he can cut in, "Don't worry I whipped his arse so there's no need to jeopardize your friendship, not that I can call it much of a friendship given the kind of person Jace is." Yes a low move, I know it wasn't very wise. But I'm mad. And when I'm mad I'm not nice. As I watch I see Jace's face fall and see a wounded expression flash across before he replaces it with an impassive one.

"Yeah, about that, Clary I really am sorry, I just didn't really think much of it. But can you put him on?"

"Yeah, yeah sure." I mouth to Jace, 'Give me your phone.' He hands it over dejectedly, and so I add him to the call, before handing it back to him.

"Jace?" Jonathan asks.

"Yeah, Jonathan, I'm here. But look I'm really sorry I had no idea she was your sister. I mean, she doesn't exactly look like you."

"Yeah don't worry about it I just wish I'd been there to see it when she beat you."

"Well I can thoroughly, say she smashed me." I continue to smile as I realise that neither of them know that I'm hearing everything.

"Anyway, I know my sister and she's beautiful and amazing and smart and funny."

"Yeah she is." I grin. I can't wait to get Jace, for saying that.

"So, anyway I was wondering if you could just watch out for her."

"Yeah, but I should warn you we aren't exactly on the best of terms, we sort of got off on the wrong foot." He mumbles this and I do feel kind of bad.

"Nah, it should only be for a couple of days, because Jordan, a werewolf from the Praetor Lupus, and I just completed our mission and so we're free to come back." And that's when my silence is breached.

As Jace perks up and starts to reply, "That's great, I can't wait to see you."

I yell down the phone, "WHAT?! You're coming back early? Why the hell was Jace, of all people, the first person you told? " I finish, barely containing my excitement. Yes! I can't wait to see Jonathan. He drives me crazy but he's my brother I can't help but love him.

"Whoa, Clary didn't know you were back on the phone." Jonathan says.

"Neither did I." Jace murmurs. "And I think I might be deaf, declared all of two seconds ago."

"But, Jonathan I don't need Jace the arse looking after me." I whine.

"You think I want to look after you, Short." Jace, snaps back.

"Yeah you do Tall because you agreed that I'm amazing."

Just as Jace goes to reply, Jonathan cuts in, "I hope you guys realise that you are actually standing two feet away from each other," We both look up surprised as we realise that he's right. Trust Jonathan. "So if you don't mind can you continue this childish banter when I'm off the phone?"

"Fine." We say simultaneously causing me to turn and glare at him only to find that he beat me to it. Ugh.

"Just for the record, I don't actually think you're amazing I just said that." He says really fast, probably before Jonathan can go off at us again.

"Yeah, riiigght."

"So, anyway, before you continue this fascinating line of conversation, Clary you do know that now you've beat Jace in Capture the Flag that you can take over his position of Captain of the Red team, making Jace ex-captain." No way, I'm captain of the red team, I am literally speechless.

So, speechless that even after like thirty seconds of me not answering, Jace starts to speak and I realise he's been watching me for my reaction. "Um, I was getting to telling you that." He mumbles.

"Woah." That's all I can say.

And then Jonathan's talking again, "Anyway, Clary, Jace I've got to go just wanted to tell you guys that, you can now continue to fight but you might want to get off your phones because if you don't you'll both be annoyed when something happens to them." And with that he hangs up.

"So much for the brotherly love." I add before hanging up as well. And so I walk away, admiring the sway and flow that people now have, patting me on the back, saying, "Good job" and "I don't want get on your bad side." I smile and laugh doing what they want, not letting them see that I'm there but I'm also not there. I'm trying to find Simon when I feel my hand grabbed and I'm pulled backwards.

"What?" I snap as I swing around, completely prepared to kick another person's arse no matter how sore my arse actually is. As I'm guessing that it's Jace standing there trying to get another rise out of me.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to get you at a bad time; I just thought I'd give you your timetable." He hands over a crisp piece of paper, and I look up at him as he says, "I'm Jules," and its then that I notice the girl at his side, "and this is–"

"I'm Emma." She takes a step in front of Jules as if she will protect him from everything. I feel the tips of my mouth turn up.

"Hey Jules, Emma, I'm Clary and I'm sorry about snapping I thought you were someone else."

"Hi," Jules says, Emma just watches me, I guess she's deciding what she thinks of me. Fair enough, "If you want, we can help you; adjust to camp, and stuff if you recruit us." I smile looking them up and down, studying their contrasting looks. Julian's messy dark chocolate brown hair and bluey green eyes, his tall lanky figure and his untidy paint splattered black clothes much like what mine usually look like. I turn my attention to Emma, seeing her blonde braid and the delicate tendrils which are framing her face; her pale skin illuminates her soulful brown eyes. I watch them, holding tightly onto each other's hands and I see that Julian's pulled his sleeves down to cover his other hand. My grin widens as I watch Emma throw Jules a look saying what was that for? Since when are we helping her? Which Jules curtly ignores. And so I watch as she begins to touch his arm, then he turns and says under his breath, "Since now."

It's then that I realise she used some sort of code to relay the message he ignored in her eyes. "Jules, thanks I appreciate it because my mentor sort of ditched me."

"Isabelle?" Emma asks.

"Um yeah,"

"Don't worry about her, she's someone you have to get used to, if you know what I mean." Jules says with a grin and a wink as if it's the biggest secret in the world. It's then that a laugh greets my ears and I realise that for the first time since I've been here I laughed. After my throat feels raw but in a good way. "Anyway," he continues, "Emma and I have got to go find Ty and Livvy, so we'll see you tomorrow."

"Sure, I'd like that." With a wave they leave the blonde and the brown head dipping in and out of the crowd. Soon, after I follow grabbing food and water and heading onto the dance floor. My first love. Wait no that's shadowhunting. Ok, my second love. Wait, wait I'm getting there, nope I'm wrong again, my second love is drawing, thanks for the tip, heart. Alright I guess it's my third. I start to dance, enjoying the easy sway and rhythm of moving without a care. Feeling the healthy beads of sweat and freeing myself up, letting loose. I was enjoying myself and the lack of thought needed while I danced even if I'm not particularly coordinated.

Then the hands touch me. Slimy, sweat coated hands. "Hey, babe, let's dance." Sebastian. A drunken Sebastian.

"No thanks." I reply removing myself from his sticky embrace.

"Come on, then we both have a good time." Now his hands are back. Great, just what I need, when I have sore muscles and not a lot of energy, to be fending off drunken jerks.

"I said no." The sweat and the heavy hands are gone all of a sudden. I look around, unsure of what he's going to do next.

Coolly pulling through my staggered thoughts I hear, "Get off her, jerk and you said I was the one that was always trying to get into a girl's pants." Jace, just another person I need to see again tonight. I turn and see Jace holding him in a tight hold, and rage fills me as I hear him say, "See, Short, you do need someone with more height to watch your back." That's when I see red.

"You. Dickheads. Both of you. I'm short and proud to be." With that, not one of my smarter moments, I walk forward and give them both a right hook to their heads. Watching as their idiotic heads snap back, completely unaware that someone as short as me could do something like that. "Because you see someone tall wouldn't do that but because I'm short I just did. Now get it into your thick heads, neither of you are ever getting into my pants and I don't need some protector, Jace, I can take perfectly good care of myself."

With that, released I storm away, stumbling through the darkness to my new home. By the time I've fallen into bed, my brain is raging with thoughts. Yeah, I suppose you've realised that because of my short stature anger is released…. Fast. And yeah I should be guilty but I'm just not. I hope they get matching black eyes, is my last thought before sleep pulls me under.

-o-O-o-

I wake up to a cool breeze blowing over my face and I look up to see the window open allowing the wind to blow a gale around my room, a different one to yesterday. Whoops, must have fallen into a different bed… and room. But that's not even the worst of it for as I sit up, massaging my temples and groaning from my aching muscles, I look up and I'm met with a face that is way too happy, with himself I might add, for such an early time. I moan, flopping back down and rolling over to bury my head in my pillow.

"Wwwwhhhhyyyy?" I wail, "It's too early. Go away. I don't want to see your ugly face."

"Good morning to you too, princess."

"Great, day two of hell has begun."

"Oh, no, sweetheart, this is heaven." He smirks and I scowl, burying my head further.

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**AN: Sorry…. ? Hehe. So I'm really sorry for updating late but for the cliffie, yeah, not so much. Ok so was that Jace or Jonathan? Either way they would both want you to review. *wink wink***

**Until Monday, chickies,**

**Xoxo AllieCat324**


	6. Nice Black Eye, Jace

**AN: WOOO! I updated on time. (Sort of) right? Aren't you proud of me? Anyway so I figured you needed to know all of the activities so they'll be spread over a couple of chapters (don't hold me to this, I don't know how many as I don't want to rush this). Ok so where was I… oh yeah.**

**Xoxo AllieCat324**

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_"Oh, no, sweetheart, this is heaven." He smirks and I scowl burying my head further._

"I hate you. I hope you now that." I say, not lifting my head, which he promptly ignores.

"Rise and shine, sunshine." With that, my curtains are thrust open and my reaction is instantaneous. I pull my covers up and grab a sketch pad off of my bedside table throwing it as hard as I can in his general direction.

He chuckles, "Yeah, yeah stop being so grumpy, I'm moving, I'm moving." Thank the angel he's gone.

Then the cover pulling begins.

"Oh hell no, this is mine." I say pulling back as hard as I can.

"Stop being such a little baby."

"I believe the correct term is short baby, according to the majority of the world." He laughs and releases the covers. He released the covers. Crap, this can't be good.

His thump=my groan.

Thump

Groan

"You pig. Why the hell do you weigh so much? Aren't you supposed to be fit not fat?" He jumped on me and honestly he really does weigh as much as a pig.

"It's these killer muscles, princess, something you don't have." I groan.

"Pathetic." I say smothering a grin. I really do love him, he makes me smile when really I should be giving him a good knee to the groin.

"Come on sis, get up already." I moan and kick him and the weight's gone. Yes, I wriggle getting comfortable again. Then the doona's gone.

"AHHHHH Jonathan!" I rage, jumping out of bed so fast that I swear my feet scream from the cold wooden floors. And I run, hollering after him as he leaps over tables and jumps off stair balconies. I follow and it's not until he goes to run back up the million stairs we jumped over that I realise that this is a mini institute type place, there's hundreds of bed. So as he runs up the stairs laughing I follow until I reach the first floor where I dive to the side and into the first bed, promptly pulling up the covers and burying my head underneath as well.

I can't believe my luck when I don't hear the door being thrust open or anything, really. That is, until I realise that I'm no longer sleepy and that I'm completely awake. Only you Jonathan, just because you know I can't sleep after I'm awake. Fine, I'll go have a shower since you seem so desperate to get me up I say to the Jonathan in my head.

So just as quickly as I pulled the covers up and over my heads, I push them down, causing me to be the one to thrust open the room's door, only to find Jonathan resting casually against the wall to the side of the door playing some stupid game on his phone. He doesn't even look up, simply says, "I knew it couldn't be long until you would get up again."

"Shut up." I say, glaring as I shove past him. He pretends to fall backwards.

"Ouch, that hurt sis! And I thought we were thicker than water."

"No crap we're blood." I yell over my shoulder. Adding as an afterthought, "Unfortunately."

I try a couple of doors before finding the bathroom, only to remember I had no idea which room my clothes were actually in, given that I'd stumbled into a different one last night. Oh stuff it I'll find it after. I get in the shower deciding my mud and dust filled hair definitely needs a wash and I carefully move my fingers through it lathering it in shampoo and conditioner, enjoying the pounding rhythm of the water against my back. I'm in there for ages just thinking. Not of anything, really just letting my mind wander. When I turn the water off and wait for the warm steam to stop enveloping me in its warmth. I walk out, in my towel to find my former room. I find it quickly and I dress in full combat gear and am equipping myself with my usual amount of weapons, I leave this room vowing to find a more alone room later, as four beds in one room when I only need one is not my cup of tea. I'll find a nicer room later. Maybe I'll find one at the top of the house with a good view of the camp, and of the bay and woods surrounding it. As I leave my room one thought invades my head.

Pancakes. Someone's making pancakes. Suddenly I'm running down the stairs and through a hall and after a couple of hundred of wrong turns and doors I find the source of the smell. My brother. Jonathan. The guy who's embarrassed to be caught anywhere near the cooking appliances in any kitchen. Is making pancakes. I stop, not being able to help myself from taking a picture of this. Not turning around he breaks his hum for a second to say, "If you do anything with that photo I will personally release all the awkward tween photos I have."

"Ok, ok." I agree immediately. "Are you making pancakes?"

"No, I'm frying a dead body." He says, deadly serious.

"Shut up." I say, "For all I know you could be. Can I have one?"

"No."

"You do realise that if I do do something with this photo everyone will have seen it before they see mine _and_ I don't have that many friends so it won't matter anyway."

"Make that none." He says under his breath, before handing me a plate with golden-brown pancakes on it. Then he gives me a knife and fork before turning to the fridge to grab us some maple syrup and butter.

I smile, "Thanks." I say before proceeding to butter my pancake and lather it in maple syrup. After making himself a healthy stack and leaving even more on a plate and putting another whole container of the mixture in the fridge he comes around to my side of the bench grabbing a chair and dragging it back to the other side to face me. By the Angel, how can he eat so much?

After us both shovelling in our pancakes for a couple of minutes, revelling in the feeling of not having someone in our family trying to steal our beloved pancakes off our very plates, although no doubt Jonathan will try that in a couple of minute. He begins to speak, "I hope you realise this isn't any everyday thing I'm only doing it because mum said I should."

"Bullshit."

"Ok maybe I only actually did it because I wanted to eat some pancakes too."

"That sounds more like it."

"But as I said, this is no ordinary thing we'll both be dragging our lazy butts up to the buffet breakfast in the mess hall after this. That is unless you are actually bothered to make your own breakfast."

"Yeah, no."

"Didn't think so. Oh and when I arrived this morning Hodge said to tell you that because you are now Captain of the Red team," I open my mouth to correct him that I hadn't actually decided whether I am taking it or not but he notices and just continues, "Uh-uh this isn't negotiable you are taking that position." He glares at me and snatches my pancakes taking a bite each second I don't agree so finally I nod my head mutely as I realise that in that short time he ate nearly all of the rest of my pancakes. Then he continues, "Right, Hodge said to tell you that because of your new and different requirements due to your new position that he will have a new timetable made and that today he will assess your abilities as you try out all of the courses with him watching."

"So, just a giant test, pretty much, right?"

"Yeah, you'll be placed in categories according to your ability in each course which will mean you probably will have people from your age group even if there's only a few of them. I nod again and after we've both finished he looks at his watch, "Right he said to meet in five minutes, meaning at 8am, at the centre of camp. You know where that is, right?" I roll my eyes.

"Yes, mum."

"Watch it young lady." He says, playing along. He grins before ruffling my hair and saying, "Have fun, kid, you'll knock their socks off you know."

I smile back, "Did you?" He gives me a look saying _What do you think?_ My smile widens, "I'm guessing you didn't."

"I know you saw that look so either you're ignoring it or you're incredibly stupid, I'm going with the latter. It fits you and of course I didn't knock their socks off I blew them sky high." He smirks as I chuckle, walking down the hall to the front door which I thrust open and spot an impeccably dressed Hodge. He looks like a crisp business man, not a Shadowhunter trainer, but he's definitely dressed amazingly in a grey suit, blue shirt and with those clicky shoes men always seem to wear. But when you see him I can't really imagine him in anything else, I guess this is his shadowhunter gear like how Isabelle had that custom dress.

I jog down to meet him and he says, "I'm sure Jonathan briefed you. But to recap in case he 'forgot'," he says in quotation marks. Wow, he really does know my brother. "You are going to participate in a series of classes and the teachers and I will watch you closely to see how you perform and what you understand." With no further information needed he begins to walk briskly away. I guess Jonathan got it wrong as he actually met me outside our cabin. Oh well. As we walk and I see different areas of the camp where campers are training and watch where sometimes the instructors are talking, some where they are performing a move and others where they are correcting and observing campers train.

When we reach another training area, a place where the forest is less dense where many of the trees are still in place the ground-level shrubbery is simply gone. Above is a form of high ropes like that thing mundanes do, except here there aren't any ropes holding people up and helping them along. If you fall, you fall hard. These high ropes also aren't weird nooses which you put your feet in it's much more like tightrope walking and it has gaps which require you to leap over, usually performing a flip and then land back on your feet on the rope and continue running. People flip across as often you have too much momentum to land steadily if you don't flip.

I watch as one kid starts across, fast, it helps with the balance he's going fine until he hits the first gap where he hesitates and looks down straight away the rope turns sharply causing him to fall, flat and hard. As he nears the ground he turns and flips into a push up like landing so his hands and feet smack the ground and absorb the impact. But as he lands I see him wince and the blood rushes to his hands fast, turning them a bright red. Nasty, they're sure to bruise later. But what I don't get is how the rope flipped him so fast? Even if you stop completely it shouldn't do that, not that fast at least and not with his balance. Wait they have a rune for capture the flag which only works if both people are wearing it, thus making no fatal injuries so I suppose they could have a rune in place where if you stop or hesitate the rope flips you off. Well, it's possible and that would definitely make you stop hesitating after a couple of hundred of thousand times. When I hear the words, "Look, she's watching the sky like a dumbie." I turn and there's Jace and Alec sniggering along with Isabelle, who obviously said it. I groan inwardly until I notice Jace's blooming black eye.

Then, I just smirk right back and swagger by, "Nice black eye, Jace."

I keep walking with a slight leap in my step now and a clear smile on my face now as I hear Isabelle turn to Jace exclaiming, "She did that to you? You told me it happened during capture the flag."

Jace says nothing but I hear Alec say, quite unaffectedly, "I like that girl. She puts you in your place."

Isabelle immediately squeaks out an "Eep." before turning on him like a pack of dogs, with Jace not far behind, but he doesn't add anything else yet nor does he retract his earlier statement. Maybe, Alec isn't like the other two, that's about the first thing I've heard him say. I guess he's there to keep them in their place. Funny, like one of the siblings who was ice skating on the lake all of those years ago, I think, fingering my ring from the long chain it's dangling on. I keep walking forward still laughing inwardly from Isabelle's reactions. I didn't realise that Jace was staring at my back not with a glare but an expression of thought and appreciation in a way from the way I had so easily made their argument look so pathetic, because it was, I mean watching the sky like a dumbie practically spells pathetic.

I walk forward to the rest of the class where they are standing around watching people take a turn. Some are half-heartedly taking a turn at a joust using seraph blades and swords. I walk up to Hodge where he stands with the other instructor talking. As I walk up I hear the instructor say, "Alright let's see this girl kick arse."

Hodge turns to me, "Alright you're going to climb that tree. No ladders, no nothing," he says. He's clearly asked that a lot. "Go across the ropes as fast as you can," It's then I notice that they weave around the trees as well as having the breaks, there's also sections with ropes hanging from the branches which you're expected to grab to swing on and land on a separate rope. "Do all the flips you can, they count for more points than speed and jump as high as you can, if you can the height of a person. If your time's fast then we'll send someone up against you, defeat them and make it to the end. If you're anything like your brother you'll be fine."

"Ok. Did my brother win capture the flag, first time too?" I ask not realising until after how bratty I sound. "Oh gosh I didn't mean that the way it sounded." I blurt out.

He chuckles, "No, I know his team won but he bided his time until he challenged his own team leader to the place, for that it's brutal. Yours was much more effective and clean if I must say so myself." I smile inwardly, take that Jonathan.

I move bending to touch my toes and then straightening to bend back a bit and stretch my arms. Loosening my muscles up. "One last thing, if you hesitate at all you will immediately be tipped off the rope. I'm warning you, falling like that isn't fun. The rope will feel like it's gained a coating of oil. Try not to do that."

"Yes, sir, I can imagine that wouldn't be fun." I reply. He stays where he is as I walk forward to the base of the tree, prepared to do this thing. I look at the other teacher who's holding a stopwatch.

"I turn my head back to the tree when he says, "Ready" I slip into the zone, mapping my path out in my head in a split second before he says, "Set" breathe in, breathe out. "GO!" Yes, legs move, that's your cue, any second now. Finally, they move and I run as I was a couple of metres away from the tree, I run and jump stretching my entire 5'2 aka my 5'nothing up and up, until I manage to grab the lowest branch and hoist myself up. I climb quickly moving from one branch to another until I hit the first rope and I begin to run. Thank the angel for the green fire breathing dragon, aka Jocelyn Morgenstern, who made me do all those push ups and pushed me off the ropes on a regular basis just because I stopped, oh wait no that was Jonathan. I straight away running, quick, small steps across the rope not allowing my body to move an inch more to the left or right as I focus on my target a tree straight in front of me. As I approach the first gap, I prepare myself. If flips get me points, flips I'll give them. I'm going to do a backflip. As I approach it, I run faster and I leap up and across, high. Thrusting my entire body forward, which isn't hard given I don't have much of a body. Oh well.

Height. That's what I need is all I think as my feet tumble over my head and the wind rushes through my hair and face. I feel my cheeks moving up and down, shaking and wobbling. By the time I'm facing upwards I can tell I've shifted to the left, a long way, and so as the rope comes closer and closer and I hear the chant of, "Miss, miss, miss, miss." I lurch abruptly to the side, bringing my legs far too the right. Too far.

They land. I've made it. I keep running. With half my body far to the right and the other half far to the left, it sure is uncomfortable; yet reaching the first zigzag helps that, effectively swinging the rest of my body back in place from the sharp turn I make.

I keep turning the sharp corners and I manage to make each zigzag figuring short, fast steps. Sharp turns are more effective then leaps as at least I don't run the risk of losing my balance. By the time I reach the swinging ropes, an area I can do, I'm swinging upside down as I do them and doing a flip in between. I jump the last of the gaps still loving the flight and the fall, the adrenaline rush. I look ahead and I realise there's one last trick I have to manage to jump off one rope and up two metre to another, well I won't be jumping I'll be swinging myself up.

I leap, stretching every muscle to the limit until they're screaming at me and I'm yelling back, yeah shut up and stretch. My fingertips grab it and I realise I won't have the time to swing myself up as just from this slight hesitance I can feel my fingers begin to slip. So gradually I move inching my fingers forward as fast as I can. When I reach the end, not without protest on my fingers' part, I swing a blade, embedding it into the wood where I slide my way down, dragging it through the wood until I can jump to the ground and then jump back up to pull it out and fix it back into its holster. When I turn around I see everyone's staring at me. And when I say everyone I mean everyone and all of their mouths are hanging wide open except for Hodge's who's smiling peculiarly as if he knew I was good just not that good.

"Um, that last bit you did wasn't part of the official track but that was impressive." The other teacher says, "And you got one of the fastest times yet with a total of fifty-nine seconds and the record being fifty-eight." He finishes saying all of this in a very shocked voice as if what I just did was unheard of. Oh well.

Hodge speaks up abruptly as I turn to grab a drink of water, "Well done, I haven't seen something like that in a while." I nod taking a giant gulp. "Anyway, I am sure you have had an exercise like this but we've decided to test your ability further that you will fight someone on the tightropes, blindfolded."

And then it flies. My spit and the water. My eyes literally bulge out of my head as I wipe my mouth and stammer, "Blindfolded?"

Before I know it black cloth is tied around my head and I'm being led to the tree. The chanting of "Ready, Set, GO!" is muted as my brain stumbles around trying to find a possible answer of how to prove myself when I'm forced to fight someone blindfolded and on a tightrope. I feel the jostling as they push me against the tree and I climb, slowly, testing myself. I reach the tightrope and walk out gripping Heosphoros tighter by the second, from the slightest whoosh of air I can suddenly tell a blade is swinging towards me from my left and so I swing Heosphoros, knocking it away, fighting this mysterious person who I soon realise isn't blindfolded. If Jonathan didn't have to do this, I am going to be so mad. Blindfolded? Honestly.

As I am forced to duck and swing, hoping that my estimate of where the rope is and where my foot will land is correct, I assess the force of the blows, and my body begins to respond to them the same way as they did yesterday. Jace. Great. I have to fight the hardest opponent I've ever fought, again. And this time I'm blindfolded and I don't have a fearless rune on. Way to have a disadvantage. As the dance continues with the arcs of the shimmering blades whooshing through the clear forest air, I begin to become more confident with this style of fighting. Sure, I'm scared to the ends of the earth but it's also sort of methodical. That is until I feel an extra shove when our blades lock.

It's funny really whenever I saw the birds dipping and soaring through the sky I was always enchanted by their freedom and ease at which they glided and drifted, plummeted and fell, rose and ascended. No fear. But now I realise as I fall, sharply and quickly that there's no beauty of falling without wings or the knowledge of which way's up and which way's down. For I've lost that as I roll and tumble through the air fighting to rip my blindfold off yet the air continues to fly past me and I continue to wish I had wings. As I fall. Swiftly.

All of a sudden a warm, dry hand grips my arm, pulling me abruptly into their body. We turn one last time, quickly, and the person's below me, back towards the ground, my head near theirs. Then we smash into the ground.

Where I finally feel safe.

I manage to rip off my blindfold as those warm hands hold me safely and securely between their attached arms. Warm golden eyes greet me, framed perfectly between long golden lashes. Why didn't I put two and two together, it just had to be Jace. I'm stuck for a moment, mesmerised by their colour and the sincereness in them, as emotions storm through me: Gratitude, Attraction, Awe, Thankfulness, Annoyance and so much more. So the first thing which comes to mind I say, "Thanks," the best thing to say it was yet the second thing which came to mind was also the worst thing to say, "For pushing me off the rope." I finish abruptly ruining the moment as his eyes widen and flash with guilt and hurt before hardening as I push off him and walk away, over to Hodge. However, no matter how fast the rest of the lesson goes, my mind continues to reel over the hurt in his eyes and the moment we shared before that. But I don't forget that he was the one to push me off. So, how is he the one hurt?

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**AN: Sooo, do you want to know about the rest of the activities and get to know the characters more or do you want me to get on with the plot? Tell me what you think should happen and what you think of this chappie. I don't know if I like it. And I just wanted to clarify something, I'm not one of those authors to hold chapters back but reviews/favourites/followers definitely help for motivation to write. Thanks to all the beautiful people that have already done that. I LOVE YOU ALL! Sorry also because I might not update on time as I have a skiing competition from Thursday to Sunday, meaning that I'll be skiing pretty much all day for all of those days and working on assignments so FanFiction might take a backseat, but I'll try to update next week at least even if it is late.**

**Also if updates are late, I'm just super busy. So I'm sorry for all of those future times.**

**Until next week, chickies,**

**Xoxo AllieCat324**


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